Old Waikare bridge to be cleared

A Bailey bridge across the Waikare River opened in May, after Cyclone Gabrielle dealt to the old bridge, seen here upended by the raging torrent that pushed through the gorge on the night of February 13-14. Work begins this week on clearing debris left by the cyclone, before the old bridge is demolished. Picture supplied

Diggers will be on site at Waikare Gorge from Monday as the old, collapsed bridge is demolished.

A Bailey bridge opened to traffic in May, reconnecting State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Napier after the concrete structure collapsed during Cyclone Gabrielle.

Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) contractors will be on site for five to six weeks, using diggers and concrete crushers to demolish the concrete spans and old piles, before the material is removed from the river and trucked away to a local processing facility.

TREC project director Tony Gallagher said the removal of the old bridge was an important part of the recovery of the road through the gorge, while a permanent solution for the road is confirmed.

“The concrete piles and bridge spans present a risk that they could restrict the flow of the Waikare River during extreme weather events.

“It’s taken time to plan the process of demolishing the bridge so it is done safely and  as efficiently as possible.

“One of the first things we need to do, even before touching the old bridge, is to remove all the build-up of material and debris which initially contributed to the bridge’s collapse.”

Crews will be on site from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday during this time. The work will mostly be carried out in the river and off to the side of the road, meaning any effect on traffic flow will be minimised.

The one-way Bailey bridge is controlled by stop-go traffic lights and that will continue 24/7. At times, road users can expect delays of around 10 minutes as the demolition equipment and crew move on and off site.

“TREC and Waka Kotahi are focused on building greater resilience into the road between Wairoa and Napier and while this work takes place, a permanent solution, the Waikare Gorge realignment project, is progressing well.”

The realignment project will bypass four kilometres of the existing state highway, and will include a new 160 metre bridge across the top of the Waikare Gorge.

“We expect disruption to road users from the demolition work will be minimised but we acknowledge there will be some delays for road users until the end of the work later in November. We want to thank road users for their support during this time.”